Spring cover



Aug. 9, 1932. D, K. POPE, 1,871,341

SPRING COVER Filed May 2s, 1929 Irc-.1.

INVENTOR TM5-W ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1932 'DANIELE Porn, .orCLEVELAND, omo

'n SPRING comin` Appnation filed May 2s.'

This invention relates to spring covers ofv the type employed forprotecting vehicleleaf springs from the moisture and for Vsupplying alubricant between the leaves of thespring. The present invention has forits object to provide a vspring cover which is inexpensiveV tomanufact-ure and Which conforms accurately to the contour of the springto Which it is applied. j

A further object is to provide a spring cover which is formed of avulcanizable material and Which is Water-proof and resistent to oils andgreases.` Y A further object is lto provide a onespiece spring cover inWhich abulge isprovided to accommodate projecting portions of therebound clip.

A further object is to provide a one-piece cover free from all jointsand seams which is molded and vulcanized to a form .such that ity ingdrawing hereinafter vdescribed andV par-y ticularly set forth in theappended claims, together with such variations and modifications thereofas Will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains.

Reference shouldbe had to the accompany# ing drawing forming a part ofthe specifica- Y tion in which: Figure l is a sectional view showingthecover applied to a spring.

Fig. 2 is a bottom planview of with a cover applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line indicated at 3 3 in Fig. 1. Y-

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the cated at l4in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section showing the material of the cover.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section showing a modification of the materialof the cover.

The cover of the present invention is shown applied to a leaf spring 1composed of superposed leaves 2 Which are of gradually decreasing lengthfrom the top leaf to the bottom leaf of the spring. Leaf springs emthespring Y line indi- 1929. serial No. 366,674.

ployed forsupporting automobilevbodies are provided on the tapering'endportionsthere-` of withV rebound clips, each of Which consists of aU-shapedmeinber 3 Which fits upon the bottom'and sides of the springwith its spaced 55 armsV projecting above the top of the spring.

The projecting ends of the U-shaped member 3 are connected by aclampingbolt i Which has a head engaging the outer face of one ofthe arms and anut `6 engaging'the 6o outer face of the other of the arms. The springcover Which is indicated generally by the-reference numeral 7 is ofsubstantially trapezoidal form so that it is adaptedto j Wrap about andenclose a tapered end portion of a leaf spring and Within'thecover,there is a longitudinally extending pad 8 of felt or other suitableabsorbent material, which is'held in contact With overlapping leavesalong the underside ofthe spring.

v At the endsthereof, the-'cover isprovided with sealing strips 9 formedof felt or similar material secured to the inner face of the' coveralong the end edges thereof. The body 8 and sealing strips 9 arepreferably impreg- 'I5V n'ated With a lubricating composition which isnon-fluent at any atmospheric tempera-l ture yto Whichthey may besubjected in use so that the lubricant is ltransferredjfrom the pad tothe` surfaces of the leaves only by'so frictional engagement of theleaves With the pad in the iiexing of the spring. The lubricatingcomposition falso serves to render the pad and sealing strips Waterproofso that moisture Will not be drawn into them by i capill-aryattraction.Y

Thecover ofthe present invention is made from a vul'canizablecomposition, the cover being made from aflat piece of unvulcanizedmaterial-Whichv is molded to the desired form inria vulcanizing press.The material from Which the cover is made maybe a rubber cornpositionWhich is resistant to the deteriorating action of oils and gr'eases,such composi y tions new being commercially available. The rubbercompsition may be strengthened Y by mix-ing fibrous material therewith,.thek fibrous material beingl indicated bythe reference numeral 10 inFig. 5. The compostionmay, if desired, be in the form' of sheet 100material reinforced with a loosely Woven fabric 11 such as shown in Fig.6, the fabric l being suliiciently stretchable to permit a iat piece ofthe material to be molded to the desired form. If desired, any suitablerubber composition may be employed and a flexible Waterproof and oilresistant coating 12 of varnish appliedl to the opposite side thereof asvshown in Figs. 5 and 6. i In vulcanizing the cover, a transverselyextending bulge 13 is moldedvthereinarrdthis bulge is of a size andshape to accommodate the projecting portions of the reboun-dl-clipl asshown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, In forming the cover',"1l1 is' nloldedion the outer side thereof parallel butA spaced from one Vedge 'of thecover, the rib being molded around a reinforcing rod 15. vAt theoppositeedge ofthe cover, a bea-d 16 is mold- 20v ed, about ai reinforcing rodi.1T. Theedge portionof,l the cover upon Whichrtlie bead 14 is moldedextends substantially the entire distance across the Vbottomy of thespringl and the edge-off the, cover upon `Which the bead.

16' is. molded extends partially across the underside of thespringoverlying the first mentioned edge,.so thaty the two beads extendparallel with eac-h other along thelength, of`A the springthebeads-being preferably spaced 30. apart a sufficient distance to permitthe slack. in thercover torbe taken up. as the lubricatingpadiscompacted'.-A i The cover is secured in plane on the springY bymeans of spring fasteners which` are 35.-,connected to the reinforcingrods, 15 and. 1.7

'the reinforcing composition being removed from. the rods vat spacedpoints. along the length of. thecofverV Each of fastening ele; ments 18isformed of a spring Wire' which iscoiled about one of therods,extends.longi.

Itudinally ofthe rod' from. its point'of-V attache ment, to. a springcoil 19,. the oppositeend of the Wire. extending from the'y coil 19 i-nthe;

formof an L-s'hapedarm 20' which: terminates 45, ina hook 21 whichengagesthe otherfrod.

'llh'fastening elements yahich-.aredeseribed and, claimed in mycopendingapplication Se ria'lrNfoj.. 3415,97C 1,. filed March 11, 1929,which has matured, into Iatenti No. 1,799,864-, dated` April,1\931,serve tomaintain a: spring ten-1 sion o n the cover and toautomatically take up; any'slack which wouldotherwise form inlthe coverdue tothe eompacti-ng of the lnbfiemngpad, Y 1

I-t Willbe apparent that the'voover ofthe present invention may be.formed completelyposed of an oil resistant and Waterproof vulcanizedrubber composition and of a size and shape to be Wrapped about andenclose a vehicle leaf spring with the opposite side edges of the coveroverlapping along the bottom ofthe spring, said cover having a moldedlongitudinal bead formed along one side edge thereof, anda secondlongitudinal bead molded on the outer face of the cover parallel withand spaced from the opposite edgexko'. providiearliat edge portion whichis overlapped by the beaded' edge whereby said beads-erre positioned inparallel spaced relation along -the under vside of the spring, andresilient fast'eiiingmeans detachably connectifngsaidbeadsto ,maintain atension on the cover. l n n 2j.A A onepiece` mold-edspri-ng covercoi-nposedofanoil resistant and. waterproof vu'lcanized rubberVcomposition and of a. size and shape to be Wrapped. aboutand enclose avehicleL leafli spring with the opposite side edges ofthe coveroverlapping along the bottom of the spring, said cover having. a moldedtubular bead. formedI along, one sideedge thereof,` and a second!-tubularfbead molded on-4 theouter face-,off theaoover parallel with andspaced from the opposite side edge.,portions` o f` saidbeadsi `bein-gcut away at intervals along thelength thereof to. provide openings, aVreinforcing rodfitting infeach of sai-d beads and extending across theopenings thereof, and.' resilient. fastening members connecting the rodsat spaced intervalsalon-g the length` of the-,cover and engaging, saidlrods in said Orr/ninas i 3. A spring cover radapted-to-Ibelvralvped.

about andfencliose a vehicle leaf spring and formed: in one piecefofflexible vnlcan-izable sheet .Inateriahl said cover haring molde d.loingitudinalx beads adijaeen-t the.- opposi-te edges thereof/,v-fone'-of saidbea'ds being at one edge of tlecover and ,thev other beingparallel-.Withandfspa'ced from; the opposite ed1g,e,; whereby thebeaded..edgenay overl-ap. thel opposite edge. to.- disposefthey beadsparallelspaced rel'atifonfvbeneafthrthe spring, areinforcing rodembedded in each bead to stiftenthe lcoverandgpreventjsagging@thereofalong the-.bottom of tlie spring, andresilient fastening ele ments `connexiting, v sai-drodsI at spacejdgpoints along' the lengthwofathey covento maintain, a`

tensonon thecoyer Y,

In testimony whereoflfaivxfmy signature, i n .DANIEL K. POPE.

inl the. vnl'eanizing press with thel exceptijon-iV l of@theattachnnent` of the fastenr'mg device,

the. bulge to accommodate the spring` clip- Qf being mol-ded in thecover in the=vulcanizing press: andf reinforcin-g4 rod'fs` being,eInbeddedE therein soy that no` sewing or otherV vfinishingoperationsfarerequi-red. L

,What I claim is 55.?. .1, A one-piece molded.springA covercolnie: I

